Why Your Health Is Just As Important As Your Horse’s

Health is extremely important to me, probably because my health is so poor. I have a chronic neurological disorder. It causes severe headaches, muscle weakness, nausea, light sensitivity, fatigue, mood swings, stabbing pain behind the eyes, and a host of other symptoms that can vary with each attack. Because of all of this some days I’m not even capable of getting out of bed let alone cleaning stalls or even just exercising my horse.

So, like I said I’m super unhealthy! And my habits aren’t much better: I have a coke slurpee addiction and I can eat half a cake in one sitting. In addition, I’m super weak all the time, I have to take frequent breaks, I’ve gained weight from the meds they put me on but struggle to exercise to try to keep the weight off. It’s because of all of this that the rider health section is so important me. The one thing that keeps me going is how much I love my horses and knowing how much they need me.

I have three horses, two in their mid twenties and one who’s eight. They need me, and because they need me I have to work, not just at the barn but at places that give me money so I can feed it to my horses. It’s taken me a long time to learn that self-care is super important, and if that means taking a day of from going to the barn to take a yoga class or simply sleep in, do some meal prep, and spend a day on the couch I need to do it so that I have the strength the next day to clean stall, give everyone a good groom, and hopefully ride.

So, since my horses need me to be gainfully employed this part of Short Manes will be dedicated to everything from fitness to nutrition to self-care.